7 Fan Theories So Crazy They Might Be True

Star Wars Is Told by R2-D2

This fan theory has kicked around longer than the internet has existed, but the transition to the online world made the meme spread all the faster. If you look at all the Star Wars films as being told by R2-D2, so many little problems are suddenly resolved. First, R2-D2 is always improbably successful, and typically in the most dramatic way possible—just as it would happen if R2-D2 was shading the truth in his retelling to appear more potent. Second, little plot gaps that don’t make sense can be chalked up to the storyteller acting less than reverently towards the truth. It even works with the prequels, since R2-D2 is jammed into that story from the very beginning. And if you truly believe, you can even blame the nearly-emotionless R2 for the inhumanely robotic dialogue in Attack of the Clones.

Loki Died On Purpose

Many theories try to explain why Loki, a fan favorite and basically invincible character, went out like such a chump at the beginning of Infinity War. They wouldn’t just ax our favorite Chaotic Good trickster, would they? …would they?

Most of these theories posit that he, in fact, died on purpose. Given what we know about how Loki tends to operate, we have a lot of evidence supporting this theory. For what purpose, though? One sharp watcher thinks that Loki is trying to get to Valhalla to converse with the dead Norse heroes of legend, and the only way Loki can get there is to die. Because this theory could keep Loki’s death permanent while still allowing him to appear in the next Avengers film as a messenger from the great beyond, we have a strong feeling that something along these lines is likely planned for the film.

Willa Wonka Did Not Expect All The Children to Die

The 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory has attracted innumerable fan theories. With creepingly horrifying events and a distinctly adult sense of peril, those inclined to seek dark reasons for apparently cheerful films (everyone’s in a coma!) have found support for their ideas in spades. But another commenter has a brighter view. Willy Wonka didn’t actually expect the children to die since they all have knowledge that would make them useful to running the factory. Rather, Wonka expected them all to run the company as a committee, but it was only Charlie who survived this tour.

Grandpa Joe Sucks

Here’s another fun Willy Wonka fan theory: Grandpa Joe is criminally terrible. He malingers in bed, costing his impoverish family money to support his life lassitude while simultaneously removing a potential wage-earner from the household. Sure, the second personal fame and wealth become available to Grandpa Joe by riding on Charlie’s coattails, he leaps out of bed, “magically” cured by his sudden opportunity to exploit the naive youngster.

Violet’s Invisibility in The Incredibles Is Based on Optics

This is a pretty straight-forward one, but it’s definitely got a Pixar-worthy level of charm. The studio is known for clever little jokes scattered throughout its films, including callbacks to other movies and pun-based humor. What if Violet turns invisible by becoming ultraviolet? Since humans can’t see the ultraviolet spectrum, she appears to suddenly vanish. But we know that she’s really just become transparently, using her quantum shifting powers to slide up and down the electromagnetic spectrum at will.

The Joker Has a Superpower

It’s a superpower that every comic would love to have: supernaturally good timing. This might not seem like much at first, but it goes a long way to explaining how resilient the Joker is to physical injury and death. It presents something like unnatural luck since it allows the Joker to survive situations that would otherwise kill him. With the precisely correct physical movements, the Joker can prevent injury and conserve his life.

All Tarantino Films are Connected

For ages, Tarantino fans have gone on and on with complex theories that show all his films take place in the same universe. By carefully arranging the films, you can draw an interconnected plot across all the films, helping expand these stories into a cinematic universe. There are several products that are shared across Tarantino’s films, for example, and similar names and character traits crop up repeatedly. In fact, this is one of those theories that the creator liked so much they adopted it.